Other trip days
|
Melbourne Breakfast and Beginning Sightseeing
Wake-up call at 7:30 AM. Breakfast, new omelet guy. Restaurant is on the 35th floor and has a nice view to the south and the coastline. Morning sightseeing in Melbourne was scheduled from 9 AM to 1 PM with driver Tony (don’t know what happened to the original scheduled driver, Peter Hill).We saw the Botanic Gardens, the Shrine of Rememberance, the Melbourne Museum, the old Gaol.
|
Melbourne Sightseeing - Fitzroy Garden Stop
Then we made an IK and photo stop at the Fitzroy Gardens. Got an IK with candy (sprinkles) from Rudy (Jann was buying), then went to take pictures of the Conservatory and Kwut went on to the Captain Cook House.
|
Melbourne Sightseeing - St. Kilda and Queen Victoria Market
Got back on the bus and went past the Melbourne Park sport complex which included the Rod Laver Tennis Arena, Melbourne AFL (Aussie rules football) stadium, and the cricket ground. Then we headed south to the port of St, Kilda where we saw the Spirit of Tasmania—the daily ferry to Tasmania (a 12 hour trip by boat). We drove back through the chock area of Melbourne and back to the Queen Victoria Market. The bus let off at the “L” aisle at 11:30 AM, Most of the tour group was going to the tram dinner so they had to hurry because the bus was only going to stay until 12:40 PM. We were not taking the coach back so we could take time getting the loot. Went to the B first, then check out all of the aisles of this vast market (L-C, since A and B were selling groceries). After we noted the coordinates (their system is letters and numbers) of places of interest I gave a copy of the list to Kwut and we each went to buy different items. I first went to look for a hat for Bear. The first place was expensive, the second place did not have a lot of hats, so I bought the hat from the “Australian Hats” sign, run by some lady from Santiago, Chile. Then I went to look for a sports cap, but they were all AFL rather than NRL because the NRL is mostly in New South Wales. Then I looked for a sheepskin for M. The first place that I went to was the On-On that actually had an inside place rather than a stand. He had second quality for $59 and $69-89 for first quality, depending on size. Went to the second dupe that had some pretty cream colored items (“champagne”) that he was selling for $80. This dupe was not getting much business and he also close up early later on. So I went back to the on-on dupe and he spoke Cantonese (Happy New Year). I selected a sheepskin with a little pink in it. The on-on wrapped it in plastic and used a vacuum cleaner to shrink it down to a third of the original size. Then he taped it up (unfortunately it started expanding again later). He also showed how to clean the sheepskin using baby powder. After that I was done shopping with a half an hour to spare before the 2 PM rendezvous with the Kwut. Continued to look for any other interesting souvenirs, found a bronze plate that matched the Kwut’s TX souvenirs (later found out the the Kwut had gotten the same thing). Still had some time left before we were supposed to meet at the market sign, so I checked out the restaurants and looked for a way back to the hotel. Finally explored to the end of the market at Victoria and Peel, got back and met up with the Kwut. We had a lot of bags with us so we tried to find a cab in front of the Radisson hotel. One cab that we flagged down was booked, so we ended up catching a tram (the principal public transportation in Melbourne). We rode the tram down to Bourke Street, then switch to a northbound tram to Elizabeth Street. The Kwut tried to put some coins in the ticket machine. We got off the tram (did not pay the fare, it’s on the honor system). Walked past some cafes, to Collin Street where the hotel was. We should have stopped for lunch because there were no other eats places on the way to the hotel. Saw some interesting places on the way back (Secondhand Books and Old and Rare Books). Got back to the hotel without lunch. Dropped off the shopping bags (finally!), but the maid still had not done the room. So we went out for lunch. Kwut did not like the first place we went to (did not have enough food), went to a second place, but it was only serving coffee and biscuits. Finally ended up at the Mc D’s across the street from the hotel. We both got the Mc Oz sandwich which is a typically Aussie style H-burger with sliced beets instead of tomato. Their “large” drink is the same size and a medium drink in the US, and we were plenty thirsty after all that walking. Walked back down Collin Street to find the Secondhand Books place, all the way to Russell Street without finding it so we gave up and started back toward the hotel, but stopped at a Dymock’s bookstore. I got a book for Melbourne and a book for the Great Barrier Reef. Walked back to the Old and Rare Books place and Kwut got the Aussie trains book. Stopped at a 7-11 to get some water for the evening tour. Getting back to the hotel we saw some of the Wisconsin people that had got back from the tram dinner.
|
Melbourne Penguin Parade Tour
When we got back to the room the housekeeping had been done, and we started to pack for the Penguin Parade. Went down to the lobby, but could not remember whether Jann said to wait in the lobby or down by the street level entrance. But Jann came up to the lobby and got us. Paid $3 deposit for a beach blanket.Boarded the Gray Line coach #64 with Helena and Patty, also from the Globus group. Stopped at the last pick-up for a long time, was supposed to leave town at 5:30 PM and ended up being 5 minutes late. There was a huge traffic jam leaving Melbourne at rush hour going southeast on the motorway M1. Got off the motorway at Clyde, which was where the new Melbourne suburbs were under construction. Finally saw the coastline, with French Island in the distance. Continue on to the Westernport Bay and across a causeway onto Philip Island. Drove all the way across the island to the Penguin Parade national park. Got off the bus, looking for the B, but could not find the B, so we got dinner at the cafeteria (fish and chips). Saw lighted sign in cafeteria with three panels: 1) time of previous day penguin sighting, 2) forecast time for first penguin sighting this evening, 3) first penguin sighted (lights up). No photos and movies are allowed at the penguin area. The forecast time dropped to 10 minutes and everyone rushed out of the cafeteria. Made a quick B run and down the boardwalk to the amphitheatre. The regular seats were all taken so we sat on the curb on the side of the seating area. We waited a long time before the first penguin (almost 9 PM—the forecast was for 8:40 PM). Numerous penguin groups were going ashore in the darkness to the right of the lighted area around the stands. A few penguins came up right in front of the crowd, then got confused as to where to go since the stands were blocking the path up the beach. These penguins went back into the water. Several penguins got very close, in back of the curb in the area between our stands and the other stands to the left. Had to get back to the bus by 10 PM, so we started walking back up the boardwalk. There were numerous penguins that had gotten up the beach and were now in the tall grass, squawking and squeeking. Got back on the bus, watching an Aussie travel video on the trip back. Retraced our route across the island, and the causeway, and along the coastal road, to the M1 back to town. Still had to drop people off at 8 or 9 hotels after we got back. We were back at the hotel after midnight and still had to pack and try to stay under the weight limits. Did not get to sleep until after 1:30 AM. Finished the Globus survey and prepared Jann’s tip.
|
|
